Vehicle.



No. 859,171. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907.-

' S. DYER.

VEHICLE. APPLICATION nun NOV. 28, 1905.

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No. 859,171. PATENTED JULY 2, 1907. S. DYER. VEHICLE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 28, 1905.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

lllllllllllll UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

SAMUEL DYER, OF MUNOIE, INDIANA, ASSIGNOR TO GLASGOOK BROS. MFG. 00., OFMUNOIE, INDIANA, A OOPARTNERSHIP.

VEHICLE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2, 1907.

Application filed November 28, 1905. Serial No. 289,481.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL DYER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Muncie, in the county of Delaware, and State of Indiana,have invented a new and useful Vehicle, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to an improved velociman or manually-propelledvehicle, particularly intended for childrens use.

One of the principal objects is to provide a vehicle which will not onlyconstitute an agreeable toy, but is so arranged that the relativemovements of the operating means may be quickly and conveniently alteredin order to bring different sets or combinations of muscles into play,thereby providing an effective exercising apparatus that will moreequally develop the various muscles than is the case with the ordinaryvehicle where the same movements are necessarily employed whenever suchvehicle is propelled.

A further object is to provide an exceedingly simple structure which canbe readily manufactured and is made up of parts not liable toderangement, injury or breakage.

The preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, but it will be evident from an inspection of theappended claims that said invention is not limited solely to thestructme disclosed.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation of the vehicle. Fig. 2 isa top plan view of the same with the seat board removed and the leversshown in section. Fig. 3 is a detail longitudinal sectional view on anenlarged scale through the rear portion of the vehicle. Fig. 4 is across sectional view therethrough. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective viewof the bracket. Fig. 6 is a detail cross sectional View substantially onthe line 6-6 of Fig. 1. Fig. 7 is a front elevation of the steeringmechanism. Fig. 8 is a view therethrough. Fig. 9 is a bottom plan viewof the fifth wheel member that is seru'ed to the supporting bar, andFig. 10 is a top plan view of the coacting fifth wheel member.

Similar reference numerals designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

In the embodiment illustrated, a vehicle body is employed, comprising astrong supporting bar 11, having its rear end bifurcated or slotted, asshown at 12. A journal bracket 13 is secured to said rear end andcomprises a base 14, bolted, as shown at 15, beneath the rear slottedend and having a web 16, that extends across the same. journal bearings17, located beneath the bar and extending on opposite sides of the sameand from the Said base is provided with spaced bearings project upwardlyand forwardly extending arms 18, that embrace the bar and are providedat their upper ends with spaced journal bearings 19, that are locatedupon the bar. These bearings are provided with ears 20, through whichfastening bolts 21 are passed. The bracket thus provided constitutes astrong reinforcement for the rear end of the bar and provides thebearings for a rear driving axle 22, which extends beneath the bar andis journaled in the bearings 17.

A shaft 23 is journaled in the upper bearings 19 and is thus locatedover the bar.

Intermeshing gear wheels 24 and 25 are carried respectively by the shaft23 and axle 22 and constitute the means for transmitting motion fromsaid shaft to the axle.

Ground wheels 26 are located on the ends of the axle and one of saidwheels constitutes a driving wheel, being clipped to the axle, as shownat 27.

A seat board 28 is located over the gearing and is supported on posts29, resting on the bar, said posts having seats 30, in their upper endsthat receive crossed cleats 31, to which the board 28 is fastened. Bolts32, passing through the cleats, also extend longitudinally through theposts 29 and through the .bar 11, thus rigidly fastening the partstogether. By reference to Figs. 2 and 3, it will be seen that the saidbolts 32 pass through open-sided channels 33, in the posts 29, whichchannels are formed in the inner sides of said posts.

Independent actuating levers 34 are fulcrulned in the opposite sides ofthe supporting bar 11, in advance of the seat board 28. To this end,said bar'has cut out portions 35, that receive the lower ends of thelevers, which cut out portions are bridged by plates 36. A pivot bolt37, passing-through the plates, the web between the levers and throughsaid levers, constitutes the fulcrum for the latter. A guide block 38may be located upon the supporting bar between the levers if desired.The upper ends of said leyers are provided with handle grips 39,disposed in convenient relation to the operator sitting upon the board28. The ends of the shaft 23 project beyond the bearings 19, and to saidends are attached cranks 40 and 41. In the present embodiment, one ofthese cranks is provided with a single eye or opening 42, while theother has a series of eyes 43. Pitmen 44 and 45 respectively connect thelevers and cranks. The pitman 44 has an offset terminal 46, pivotallyengaged in one of the levers 34, the other end 47 being correspondinglyoffset and pivotally engaged in the single eye 42 of the crank 44. Thepitman 45 has at its front end an offset terminal 48, pivotally engagedin the other lever 34, while its rear end has an offset terminal 49,that is arranged to be placed in any of the eyes 43 of the crank 41,being detachably secured therein in any suitable manner, as, forinstance, by a split key 50.

Mounted on the front end of the supporting bar 11 is a steering axle 51,which carries suitable ground wheels 52 at its rear ends. The mountingfor this axle is in the form of a fifth wheel, comprising upper andlower members 53 and 54. The member 53 is in the form of a wear plate,bolted, as shown at 55, to the under side of the bar and having anupstanding boss 56, extending through the bar. It furthermore isprovided with a depending circular bearing flange 57, having at one sidea downwardly extending stop lug 58. The other member includes a bodyportion 59, having depending arms 60, suitably secured, as shown at 61,to the axle 51. The front portion of the said member is cut away to formspaced shoulders 62, between which the lug 58 is located. A seat 63,formed in the upper side of the body portion receives a foot-steeringbar 64, that extends longitudinally over the axle 57 and'has upturned.

terminals 65. A bolt 66, passing through the two members, also passesthrough the central portion of the bar 64, this bolt having thereon awearing sleeve 67, that is located in the boss 56. A nut and washer 68and 69, placed upon the upper end of the bolt serve to secure the same,and thereby the various parts in operative position.

The manner of using the device will be apparent. The operator is seatedupon the board 28, with his feet resting upon the opposite end portionsof the steering bar 64. The handles being grasped, upon operating thesame, the gear wheel 24 will be caused to revolve, thereby rotating thepinion 25, the axle 22, and the wheel 26, thus propelling the machine.It will be apparent that by placing the rear offset end 49 of the pitman45 in the different openings, the relative movements of the two leverswill be altered. Thus, if it is desired that they move together andsimultaneously in the same direction, the pitmen 44 and 45 are arrangedwith their rear ends in alinement. In operating the vehicle when soarranged, the child will necessarily move back and forth, thus not onlyexercising the muscles of the arms but also of the back. By changing therelation of the two rear pivots of the pitmen, it will be evident thatthe levers may be made to move in opposite directions for differentportions of their strokes. Thereby not only will the arms operatedifferently, but a swing will be given to the body that will bring othersets and combinations of muscles into play. While the present embodimentis shown with but one pitman having an adjustable connection with thecrank, it will be evident that the arrangement may be readily altered,so that an adjustment may be secured on both sides to obtain the sameresults. The present embodiment is, however, believed to be the simplestand consequently the best. Outside of the above features, it will beevident that the structure is an exceedingly simple one, a single barconstituting the support for all the parts and being strengthened andreinforced by the bracket on which all the driving strains are broughtto bear. Furthermore, this bracket reinforces the rear end of the barwhich is slotted to accommodate the gearing.

From the foregoing it is thought that the construction, operation, andmany advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent tothose skilled in the art, without further description, and it will beunderstood that various changes in the size, shape, proportion, andminor details of construction may be resorted to without departing fromthe spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a vehicle, the combination with a body and driving wheel, ofoperating means for the wheel including inpendent actuating devices, andpower-transmitting connections between the devices and wheel, saidconnections being relatively adjustable to obtain and maintain differentrelative movements on the part of the actuating devices.

ting connections between the levers and wheel, said connections beingrelatively adjustable to obtain and maintain different relative swingingmovements on the part of the actuating devices.

4. In a vehicle, the combination with a body and driving wheel, ofoperating means for the wheel including independent actuating deviceshaving back and forth movements, a single rotating member, andpower-transmitting elements connected to .the actuating devices andhaving relatively adjustable connections with the single rotating memberto obtain and maintain different relative movements on the part of. theactuating devices.

5. In a vehicle, the combination with a body and driving wheel therefor,of a single rotating member geared to the wheel, swinging actuatinglevers, and power-transmitting devices separately connected to thelevers and having relatively adjustable connections with the singlerotating member to obtain and maintain different relative movements onthe part of the levers.

G. In a vehicle, the combination with a body and driving wheel therefor,of a rotary member geared to the wheel and having spaced relativelyfixed cranks, independent actuating devices, and separate pitmenconnected to the devices and each connected to one of the cranks, one ofsaid devices having an adjustable connection with its crank in order tochange the relative positions of the connections of the devices on therotary member and change the relative movements of the devices.

7. Ina vehicle, the combination with a body, of an axle rotatablyjournaled thereon, a shaft journaled on the body, gears connecting theshaft and axle, cranks carried by the ends of the shaft, one of saidcranks having a serics of openings, separate levers pivotally mounted onthe body, and separate pitmen, each. connecting one of the levers and acrank, one of said pitmen having an engagemcnt in any of the openings ofthe crank having the same.

8. In a vehicle, the combination with a bar having a slotted rear end,of a bracket comprising a base extending across the slot and havingspaced journal bearings, spaced side arms carried by the hearings andextending upwardly outside the bar and the slot thereof, journalbearings carried by the upper ends of the arms and arranged above thebar on opposite sides of the slot, an axle jonrnaled in the lowerbearings, a driving wheel carried by the axle, a shaft journaled in theupper bearings, integmeshing gearing carried by the shaft and axle andbeing located in the slot, and actuating means mounted on the bar andconnected to the shaft.

9. In a vehicle, the combination'with a supporting bar having abifurcated rear end, of a bracket comprising a base portion extendingacross the bifurcation and having journal bearings, upwardly extendingarms embracing the bar and having bearings located thereon and securedthereto, an-axle journaled in-the lower bearings and havment in thedifferent openings of said crank, the other ing a drive wheel, a shaftjournaled in the upper bearhaving an engagement with the other crank.

ings and extending above the bar, gearing connecting the In testimony,that I claim the foregoing as my own, I intermediate portions of theshaft and axle and extending have hereto afiixed my signature in thepresence of two 5 through the bifurcation, cranks carried by the ends ofthe Witnesses.

shaft, one of said cranks having a plurality of openings, a

seat board mounted on the bar over the gearing, levers fulcrumed on thebar in advance of the seat board and ex Witnesses:

tending above the same, and pitmen connected to the le- A. C.SILVERBURG,

10 vers, one of said pitmen having an adjustable engage- N. P. GREENE.

SAMUEL DYER.

